Thanksgiving and Prayer

Thanksgiving is forever changed for me.  I will never again be able to think about it the same.  I always thought that Thanksgiving was all about the Pilgrims and the American Indians and being thankful for surviving those first years in the Americas, but I learned last Thursday that the first Thanksgiving celebrated as a nation was so much more than that.  My family and I went to Thanksgiving dinner at my brother's house this year and had a wonderful time with many of my siblings and their families.  But before we sat down to dinner and before we had a prayer of thanksgiving as a family my nephew, Nathan, read the following, written in 1789 by President George Washington establishing Thanksgiving as a national holiday:

Photo courtesy of Garen M. via Flickr

General Thanksgiving

By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789

For some reason I've never heard this before.  A day of "Public Thanksgiving and Prayer" to the "service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good" is a lot different than the holiday that we celebrate today.  It is far more than the slight mention of the pilgrims, the day of football, and the encroachment of Black Friday that it has become.

I didn't even participate in Black Friday this year.  Somehow I couldn't with all of the abundance around me.  Surely we can dedicate at least one day of the year or even a weekend "to the great Lord and ruler of Nations."

On Friday, my husband and I went to see Steven Spielberg's fine movie, Lincoln, about the thirteenth amendment, and I was left wondering if I knew anything about this country at all.  I certainly wasn't taught in school more than just fluff growing up.  I am so grateful that my eyes were opened this last weekend to a greater understanding of the humility and sacrifices of our forefathers.  We will never know what they ultimately gave their lives for if we don't take time to learn and study for ourselves.  It certainly won't be taught in schools or given to us by the media.  This I know.  It is my hope and prayer during this turbulent time in our nation that we will take the time to learn all we can about those who sacrificed and died before us so that we can fully appreciate our freedoms and our great abundance.  It is also my hope that this will cause us to turn to our Father in Heaven in humble prayer and thanksgiving for all the countless blessings that we have.